Eric m



(No Model.)

E. M. NOBLE.

LETTER' BOX.

No. 407,303. Patented July 16, 1889.

i Lr ef UNITED STATES PATENT- OEEICE.

ERIC M. NOBLE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR OE ONE-HALE TO VILLIAM A. RABORG, OF SAME PLACE.

LETTER-Box.

SPECIFICATION forming1 part of Lettersv Patent No. 407,303, dated July 16, 1889.

Application-filed February 18, 1889. Serial No. 300,314. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERIC M. NOBLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Deposit-Boxes; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to that class of boxes which are adapted to be used for the reception of drop-letters, packages of money, and other articles, and my object is to provide the box with a more simple and durable guardplate, which automatically closes the upper part of the box while articles are being passed through the receiving-oriiice.

Vith this end in view my invention consists in the peculiar features and combinations of parts, more fully described hereinafter, and pointed out in the claim.

.The accompanying drawing represents a side elevation of my improvement, in which the box is attached to the side of a wall, part of its side being cut away to show the internal mechanism.

The reference-letter a indica-tes the back of the boX, l) the front, and c and d the sides.

The top e is provided with a door f, which is securely hinged to the top by means of hinges g. The free end of this door f is rabbeted out at g to fit a similar rabbet h upon the under side of the top and upon the front of the receiving-orifice t'. A cam or bracket j is secured to the door f, and is arranged to come in contact with the upper arm m of a guard-plate k, hung upon a pivot Z, located just below the door. This guard-plate extends entirely across the diameter of the receptacle, so as to entirely cut off all access to its contents when the lower end of the plate comes in contact with the front wall b. The upper arm m of the plate is lighter than the lower portion o, and the latter is made heavy enough to hold the door shut by keeping the upper arm constantly in loose frictional contact with the cam j upon the under side of the door. This cam, although preferred, is not absolutely essential to the successful operation of the device, for the door might be kept shut and the mouth of the box protected by simply having the upper lighter port-ion of the guard-plate anywhere within the sweep of the door f, so that the gravity of the lower portion of the plate will always hold the door closed. When the depositor wishes to make a deposit, he depresses the door f, and as its free end descends the cam upon the door comes in rolling contact with the short arm m, and thereby elevates the lower portion o of the guard-plate, which immediately closes the upper part of the receptacle and shuts olf access to its contents, as will be seen in dotted lines. Thus it will be observed that the moment the receiving-door is opened the guardplate will immediately spring into action. When the box has become sufficiently full, it can be easily emptied at the side door p.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a receptacle for valuables, the combination of a top provided with an opening, a hinged door for closing said opening, said door being provided with a rabbet in its free end to engage a rabbet upon the side of the opening, a cam upon the under side of the door, and a guard-plate pivoted below the door with its light end in loose frictional engagement with said cam, the lower end of said plate having a length sufficient to come in contact with the front wall of the receptacle when the door is depressed, in the manner and for the purpose substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERIC M. NOBLE.

lVitnesses:

R. G. DU Bois, J. B. MACAULEY. 

